ITANAGAR: Member of State of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), Rinchen Lhamo told local media that the members of Chakma community of Arunachal Pradesh who have voter cards can avail the benefits of every scheme for minorities, be it Central or State.

 Lhamo told the reporters that her effort will be to create more awareness on various schemes under minority affairs department so that the people can avail the benefits. She also plans to visit the other parts of the State where there are minority settlements.

She told reporters that earlier she visited and interacted with the Chakma community settled in the eastern part of the state.

She plans to visit the western part of Arunachal Pradesh so that every issue pertaining to minority groups can examined on the ground. “I receive many letters from various communities and to ensure that their grievances are true, we are visiting the places.

” Likewise, we are also planning to visit and redress the issues pertaining to other minority groups in days to come, phase-wise,” she said.

The NCM also assures that every problem related to the minority groups will be discussed at district, State and national levels for their greater benefit.

 However, it can’t be assured that every problem will be solved in a go, she added. “We are aware that the Chakmas, who are Buddhist, are still fighting for citizenship. The case is still in the court. Therefore, there is not much scope for discussion on it. But I, being from the same religion, can appeal to the district administration to fulfill their basic needs,” she said, adding that the grievances of the community will be placed before the State Government so that it can be addressed.

She said that one should not differentiate between any group/individual based on religion, caste or region. Everyone is a human being first and it is a moral duty to help people from every community.

Lhamo is on a week-long official tour to the State, where she will be visiting all the Buddhist minority settlement areas, mostly in the eastern part of the State. She will have a meeting with the Chief Secretary to discuss various issues of minority communities.

She will also have a courtesy meeting with the Governor and Chief Minister of Arunachal.

The Chakmas are one of the Buddhist communities in the Indian sub-continent. They have their own age old culture, language and scripts. They grow paddy, maize, cotton, sesame etc. along with vegetables and spices. They also know the art of low land cultivation.

The present population of the Chakmas is about 5-6 lakhs in Bangladesh, 80,000 – 100,000 in Mizoram, 60-70 thousands in Arunachal Pradesh, 40-50 thousands in Tripura and about 30 thousands in Assam, according to the Chakma Autonomous District Council website.

  Chakma, development, National Commission for Minorities (NCM), Northeast, Rinchen Lhamo